Xpecial gets emotional in interview after Phoenix1 avoids relegation

Alex 'Xpecial' Chu has been playing competitive League of Legends since the game’s inception in 2011, but don’t let that fool you into thinking his emotional connection to the game is gone. Following Phoenix1’s series against eUnited, Chu had a heartbreaking moment as he cried on stage in an interview with Ovilee May.

In his interview, he thanked his teammates for their hard work, wishing them luck in the future without him on the team. He also notes that the losses have been hard for the entire team and gives a small shout out to Mike Yeung, who had to work harder as a rookie to carry his teammates.

Chu’s career has been a rollercoaster, as he’s one of the few remaining veteran players from season one. After many years as Team SoloMid’s support and multiple Worlds appearances, he’s since hopped around from team to team, playing on Team Liquid, Team Dignitas and most recently Phoenix1, among others. With his career possibly coming to a close, the 25-year-old stated in an interview with Blitz Esports that he wouldn’t be unopposed to a casting position.

Phoenix1 had a rough split, going 5 - 13 in the regular season. While the team looked more promising during Rift Rivals, they just couldn’t pull it together against other North American teams. The team duked it out in the promotion tournament and beat eUnited 2 - 1.

It’s rare to see players be emotional on stage, but it’s nice to see. Sometimes we need a reminder that these players are young people and not just robots for our entertainment.

8/17/17 Update: Chu released a vlog more properly explaining how he feels.

He announced in the video that he might not continue playing next season, though we’ll have to wait to see what officially happens during roster shuffle season.